Rianne Dekker presents her paper 'Online feedback in migration systems', co-authored by Godfried Engbersen in Parallel session I(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Online media allow for transnational communication in migration systems that does not only directly affect non-migrants who are embedded in migration networks, but also possibly affects a broader community as a channel of indirect feedback. This paper studies the effect of transnational exchange of information via online media on migration processes. We take a migration systems approach and consider both the information sending-perspective of migrants in destination countries as well as the information consuming-perspective of non-migrants in popular origin localities of migration in Western Europe. Our results show that online media have become rather important channels of communication. Online feedback sending and -receiving behavior can be explained by personal characteristics as well as migration characteristics. Origin country proves to be an important predictor. Online feedback is in most cases direct feedback to existing social ties but may also concern indirect feedback concerning latent ties. Receiving online feedback correlates significantly with non-migrants' self-perceived migration likeliness, indicating that online feedback indeed affects subsequent migration. This does not always lead to more migration movements because online feedback may also be negative and migration-undermining.
THEMIS: Online feedback in migration systems
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THEMIS: Life paths of migrants: A sequence analysis of Polish labour migrants' family-life trajectories
Tom Kleinepier presents his paper 'Life paths of migrants', co-authored by Helga de Valk and Ruben van Gaalen in Parallel session I(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Polish migration to the Netherlands has increased substantially over the past decade and is one of the main origins of migrants settling in the country nowadays. Nevertheless, still little is known on how migration affects the lives of these migrants in the family domain and what decisions are made by these migrants. In this study, we use register data from Statistics Netherlands to examine to what extent migration affects the timing (“when”) and sequencing (“in what order”) of family-life transitions. The majority of studies on family-life transitions of migrants exclusively focus on one transition only, which is unfortunate as different events in the life course are not separate experiences but are linked to one another. Therefore, we apply a more holistic approach by using sequence analysis. More specifically, we apply optimal matching (OM) analysis to assess (dis-)similarities between individual life trajectories. We then use standard clustering algorithms to group the different individuals into predominant life paths. In this way we can include multiple transitions in the family domain (union formation, marriage, childbirth, divorce) simultaneously and study life courses as meaningful units. We will investigate the relationship between these trajectories to both migration and return migration. Our analyses focus on young adult Polish labour migrants from two birth cohorts (aged 22 and 26 at migration) who came to the Netherlands in 2004. Data come from a rich individual administrative panel database that covers the entire population of the Netherlands: the Social Statistical Database (SSD) housed by Statistics Netherlands. Data are available for the period 2004-2011 and include detailed information on the place of residence in the Netherlands. The latter allows us to assess the relative importance of the neighborhood and the potential effects of the ethnic network on life paths.
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THEMIS: A life-course perspective on mobility trajectories and migrant networks among Senegalese migrants
Eleonora Castagnone and Sorana Toma presents their paper 'A life-course perspective on mobility trajectories and migrant networks' in Parallel session I(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 International migration is still mainly analysed as a one-time, one-way movement from an origin country A to a permanent destination B. Yet migration trajectories are often more complex, as migrants may travel through and successively settle in several countries, or engage in circular mobility. However, the factors that shape individuals' migration trajectories remain little known. In particular, secondary intra-European migration is still an under-researched area, despite the fact that qualitative studies suggest that secondary movements have become a common mobility strategy (Schapendonk 2010; Paul 2012) increasingly adopted in times of crisis (Sacchetto & Vianello, 2012; Cingolani & Ricucci, 2013).
Taking Senegalese migration flows as a case study, this paper characterizes the diversity of migration trajectories and explores the drivers that shape them. In particular, it focuses on secondary migration paths within Europe and the role migrant networks play in this form of mobility. We use quantitative, longitudinal data recently collected within the framework of the Migration between Africa and Europe (MAFE) survey. Using sequence and optimal matching analysis, four main patterns of international mobility from Senegal are identified: linear or direct mobility, secondary migration within Europe, stepwise migration from Africa to Europe, and circular migration.
Furthermore, preliminary results suggest that intra-European secondary mobility takes place mainly within the first few years of arrival in Europe and is motivated, to a larger extent then first migration, by work reasons or a desire for discovery. However, the unemployed do not re-migrate more then those who have a job; rather, the decision to re-settle is associated with a desire to improve one's occupational status, and is taken more by the self-employed and the entrepreneurs. Also, social ties in other European countries play a substantial and significant role in triggering re-migration. Especially important are weaker ties - such as friends, extended family members or acquaintances - and migrants having recently moved to Europe. In contrast, close family ties at destination decrease the likelihood of re-settling in another country. Thus, the paper emphasizes the more complex ways in which migrant networks influence mobility, and the importance of distinguishing between various types of ties.
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THEMIS: Flexible ethnography for practice stories of migration: (Elite?) migrants in Asia
Katherine Botterill presents her paper 'Flexible ethnography for practice stories of migration' co-authored by Karen O'Reiilly and Rob Stone in Parallel session I(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 In contemporary migration research, the dynamics of migration systems and the processes that sustain them have been explained through a narrow focus on origin and destination. Increasingly, however, scholars recognise the importance of historical, social and cultural conditions of movement, institutional frameworks and interactions, individual agency and everyday practices in their analysis of migration patterns and processes. Any focus on a single aspect of the above leads to calls for more attention to other aspects. We argue that structural and agentic processes are always and continually interlinked through the practice of daily life and that the goal should be to tell practice stories of migration (O’Reilly 2012), using practice theory as a meta-theoretical framework. This is, nevertheless, a tall order for researchers, raising new methodological challenges.
Drawing on our experiences of researching lifestyle migrants in Thailand and Malaysia we consider the merits of utilising a ‘flexible ethnography’ that learns from and through the mobile, the virtual and the place-based, recognising the changing nature of migrant lives. Lifestyle migrants in Thailand and Malaysia occupy a relatively privileged position in global migration hierarchies, a status shaped by historical conditions and social reproduction. An understanding of their migration involves analysis of macro, micro and network factors as they interact and re-emerge in the practice of daily life. This research is informed by ethnographic methodology, recognising that everyday practices are acted out in the context of constraints that migrants themselves reproduce, create and shape. However, ethnography traditionally involves a long-term commitment, and has tended to be place specific. A flexible ethnography approach integrates traditional methods with virtual, mobile, multi-sited, and digital methods to produce practice stories of migration.
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THEMIS: Should I stay or should I go? The role of relationships in the decision to migrate, stay, or return: the Brazilian migrants case study
Ana Paula Figueiredo presents her paper 'Should I stay or should I go? The role of relationships in the decision to migrate, stay, or return' in Parallel session I(D) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Despite an estimated number of over 200.000 Brazilians in London, there is no comprehensive research on their experience in the capital. This paper explores the various factors that affect the choice by Brazilians to migrate to and stay in London or to return to Brazil. Based on eighty interviews with Brazilians in London and eight months fieldwork with Brazilians women who work as cleaners in London, this research explores the importance of loving relationships on the decision making process of Brazilian migrants in London. The combination quantitative and qualitative methods of research made it possible to uncover how the break up of a long term relationship, death of a loved one, new love found on the internet or simply the hope to find love have more influence than studies of migration have previously accounted for.This case study analysis contributes to the understanding of the complexities of human agency and network formation in the context of migration and will thereby contribute to fill gaps in research on Brazilian migration in London.
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THEMIS: Migration feedback effects in networks: an agent-based model
Miriam Rehm presents her paper 'Migration feedback effects in networks: An agent-based model' co-authored with Asjad Naqvi, in Parallel session II(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 This paper develops a computational network model of migration. The importance of ties between family members and friends in migration has been long recognised by other social sciences and is increasingly confirmed by econometric studies. The paper presents a micro simulation of an economy in which the heterogeneous population moves between three locations, a rural and urban location of origin, and the destination. The key elements in (return) migration decisions are network feedback effects and income opportunities. The simulations generate stable patterns and detailed information on distributions, which reproduce available data for the geographical population distribution, wealth, and remittances. The model generates the clustering of migrants both at the origin and at the destination that is one of the most pervasive and resilient stylized facts of migration research.
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THEMIS: Respondent-driven sampling as a recruitment method
Jennifer Wu presents her paper 'Respondent-driven sampling as a recruitment method' co-authored by Rojan Ezzati, in Parallel session II(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) is a peer-to-peer sampling method similar to snowball sampling, but with a mathematical model that weights the sample to compensate for biases in such recruitment. In this paper we focus on the recruitment side of the method, describing how we used RDS in our data collection among Brazilian and Ukrainian migrants residing in Oslo, Norway. The peer-to-peer recruitment approach of RDS helped us succeed in reaching our target sample size in the Ukrainian case, but not the Brazilian. In this paper we explore possible reasons for this. First, our two cases demonstrate that the target population size is not determinative of the failure or success of RDS, as the Brazilian and Ukrainian populations in Norway are roughly the same size. Nor does it appear that the social network size of the initial individuals selected to get recruitment started played a role. In our data collection, we detected considerable concerns regarding stereotypes within the Brazilian community. Hence we question whether alternative incentives to the monetary ones we offered for participation and recruitment (as part of the RDS procedure), would have provided us with better results. Furthermore, we find that our questionnaire-based interviews were longer with Brazilians than with the Ukrainians. Given that RDS relies so heavily on the recruiters' accounts of their experiences to potential recruits, it is highly vulnerable to any negative experiences. Finally, how different populations respond to RDS design varies from one case to another. In the Brazilian case, we found that the need for respondents to recruit others following the required RDS procedures was perceived as a burden, which impeded further recruitment.
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THEMIS: Children go first! Family strategies and educational migration
Liudmila Kopecka presents her paper 'Children go first! Family strategies and educational migration' in Parallel session II(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Recent developments in migration studies have shown that is very important to pay attention to how migration decisions are taken collectively. Families and kin group play a significant role in the process of migration and influence individual’s behaviour. However, there have been only a few studies, which focus on family strategies and migration for educational purposes. This paper attempts to show what kind of role does family play in student migration from Russia to the Czech Republic and what kind of transnational strategies and migration projects do have parents, sending their children abroad. The field research for this article was conducted in a few cities in Russia and in Prague, in the Czech Republic, involving in-depth interviews with student migrants and their parents.
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THEMIS: Migrant negotiations/negotiating migration: A gendered variation on the new economics of labour migration
Anju Paul presents her paper 'Migrant negotiations/negotiating migration: A gendered variation on the new economics of labour migration' in Parallel session II(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 The new economics of labor migration theory has been frequently criticized for ignoring the gendered social norms and inequitable intra-household power distribution that make it difficult for prospective independent female labor migrants to leave their homes to work overseas. And yet increasing numbers of independent women labor migrants leave countries in the Global South every year. Interviews with 142 Filipina migrant domestic workers located in Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Canada, and the United States, reveal that prospective female migrants initially develop an individual-level aspiration to migrate and then have to negotiate with family members to secure these relatives' support for their migration decision. They win their family's approval by agentically manipulating gendered scripts in Philippine society. A multilevel model of the migration decision-making process that distinguishes between migration aspirations and migration negotiations is proposed to incorporate these findings.
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THEMIS: American migrants in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom: diversity of migration motivations and patterns
Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels presents her paper 'American migrants in France, Germany, and the UK' in Parallel session II(D) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Migration between two countries, or localities within those countries, is usually examined only uni-directionally (although return migration may, often in a context of transnationalism, be taken into account). Examining the less-studied half of such a migration dyad can help us to understand more clearly the ways in which migration feedback processes function. This paper considers the case of Americans in France, Germany and the United Kingdom, three key receiving countries for American migrants (estimated at 2.2 to 6.8 million worldwide), and will examine the role of networks and interactions, broadly defined, which have played a role in leading these Americans to migrate. To do so, it will draw on 115 semi-structured in-depth interviews carried out in London, Paris and Berlin in 2011, as well as upon 450 survey responses from France, Germany and the UK. These data will be analyzed with respect to factors leading to migration, exploring what role a range of interactions and networks have played in migration. These include professional, educational, state-organized and a wide variety of personal networks (including nationals of France, Germany and the UK) - a far broader range than is usually considered. The dualism of temporary vs permanent migration will also be questioned; the paper will suggest that a continuum is more helpful in understanding the nature of migration, and will be drawn upon. This recognition, in turn, has an impact upon the ways in which personal and institutional resources are drawn upon by migrants.
The paper will examine which factors, including networks and/or social interactions, are most significant in each country, whether there are key differences between receiving countries, including historically, and in how far these contribute to strengthening the bi-directionality of these migration systems. The paper will thus contribute to our understanding of migration feedback processes and development of migration systems.
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THEMIS: What migration means: Recognising the diversity of practices embedded in cultures of migration
Guri Tyldum presents his paper 'What migration means: Recognising the diversity of practices embedded in cultures of migration' in Parallel session II(D) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Building on Douglas Massey's concept of a culture of migration, this article shows how ideas of when and how migration can be appropriate will vary, just like ideas of proper behaviour will differ between regions, at different stages of life and according to, for instance, gender, responsibilities and class. Consequently, migration is rarely perceived to be either good or bad. Instead it is understood as a potential response in particular situations for particular groups. The article shows how approaching migration studies with an awareness of the variation in meanings attached to migration, makes us better equipped to understand why some migrate and others do not. The approach is illustrated through a case study of migration from Western Ukraine.
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THEMIS: Guyanese migration since independence: Migration policies, migrant networks, and postcolonial ties
Simona Vezzoli presents her paper 'Guyanese migration since independence: Migration policies, migrant networks, and postcolonial ties' in Parallel session III(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Historical migration patterns in the Caribbean saw a transformation in the 1960s-70s as many former colonies gained independence and new migration policies were introduced at origin and destination. If some policies potentially may have reduced migration opportunities towards former colonial states, migrant networks and post-colonial ties established before independence may have acted as migration-facilitating factors to sustain migration. Without overlooking important contextual factors at origin and destination, we could hypothesise that border controls and migration policies, migrant networks, and postcolonial ties should explain in part the variations in migration patterns following independence.
To explore this hypothesis, I use data from an in-depth case study of Guyana. In the 1960-2000 period, the overall emigrant stock grew from 6 to 48 percent of the total population, whereas the emigrant stock in the UK fell from over 37 to less than 1 percent during the same period. Immigration policies, negative economic performance and growing racial tensions in the UK have been provided as explanations of such drop. At the same time, less restrictive immigration policies in North America may explain the development of new destinations. But why such a severe drop, unlike other British Caribbean countries? This case suggests that the beneficial connectivity provided by migrant networks and post-colonial ties may in fact have been left ‘unused' as the objectives of migrants evolved and their interest towards the old migration destination declined. This paper considers migration not uniquely as the result of structural forces, but as dynamic responses of individuals to the diverse opportunities created by contextual national and international structures. In so doing, this paper aims to improve our understanding of migration processes and dynamics, the relevance of migration policies, migrant networks and postcolonial ties, and also provide some evidence surrounding the decline of migrant networks.
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THEMIS: The impact of sending states’ transnational policies on migration dynamics: a comparative analysis of South American cases
Ana Margheritis presents her paper 'The impact of sending states’ transnational policies on migration dynamics: a comparative analysis of South American cases' in Parallel session III(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond The phenomenon of state-led transnationalism (i.e., the policies and programs that nation-states implement to reach out to their citizens abroad) is relatively under-studied within both migration and international relations studies. Although those policies have expanded lately in all regions, the literature is still overwhelmingly concerned with issues that affect receiving (rather than sending) countries, the economic (rather than political) impact of migration, bottom-up transnational practices and networks, and a few cases.
The mechanisms of transnational policymaking in the migration area, as well as policy impact on migration patterns and migrants’ engagement in the sending and receiving countries, remain largely under-researched. There is also a biased selection of cases that focuses on large and/or politically relevant emigrant communities and transnational practices that are facilitated by geographic proximity between home and host societies. Regarding the Americas, South American cases have been less explored than Mexico and Caribbean countries. In fact, given the unfortunate record of state violence, dramatic economic crises, and recurrent political instability, South American countries can shed light not only on the emergence and maintenance of out-migration patterns but also on the complex, and often conflictive, relationship between migrant associations and state institutions across long distances.
This study assesses the results of recent emigration policies in Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay and Mexico with an eye on what the outcome tells us about transnational governance. The first three cases have received less scholarly attention than others and are representative of different trends within the region, thus offering the opportunity to expand existing knowledge and revisit critically some assumptions. Mexico provides a good comparative background and long-term historical perspective. The outcomes do not allow for a full comparison or generalizations, but they contribute to specify how transnational policymaking occurs and how new forms of governance are developing in the area of human mobility.
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THEMIS: Mediating migration: the role of the Qiaoban (the Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs) in the rescaling of the Wenzhou region in China
Ya-Han Chuang presents her paper 'Mediating migration: the role of the Qiaoban in the rescaling of the Wenzhou region' in Parallel session III(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Based on a multi-sited ethnography, this paper aims to provide a nuanced picture of the meso-level interaction between Chinese migrants, their sending/receiving localities, and the Chinese government through the case of Wenzhou migrants in Paris and the Qiaoban - the "Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs."
The paper begins by presenting the evolving relationship between migrants and the Qiaoban of Wenzhou. The Wenzhou region experienced tremendous growth in the decades following the economic reform of 1978, which allowed for the emergence of new patterns of migration as Wenzhou residents profited from the local informal credit institutions and cheap local goods to take their businesses abroad. The Qiaoban has used this success to promote the Wenzhou development model, particularly through the commemoration of emigrant histories. I then analyze various institutional tools used to establish trans-local linkages. In the sending region, a structured administration and associations for return migrants were established to collect information and provide services for migrants; and, in the receiving country, numerous voluntary associations cultivate networks with political and economic actors. Various summer camps and associations were also created to link younger generations, often born abroad, to Wenzhou. The article concludes by examining the consequences of these initiatives. Despite the Qiaoban's attempts to "rescale" Wenzhou through promoting the "global Wenzhou diaspora" (shijie wenzhouren), interviews with migrants show that the effects vary due to the unequal degrees of development and infrastructure in different sending villages/townships. While the use of the Qiaoban as a political institution to strengthen links and implement policy in the diaspora is not uniformly effective, it does facilitate economic exchange between localities, thus strengthening the trans-local networks between the sending and receiving communities.
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THEMIS: To move or not to move (when one arguably has the social capital): the mediating effect of migrant family networks on migration aspirations and planned and unplanned Mexico - U.S. migration
Mathew Creighton presents his paper 'To move or not to move (when one arguably has the social capital)' co-authored by Fernando Riosmena, in Parallel session III(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Prior migrants with ties to migrants-to-be provide the latter with important information and assistance to move and find accommodations and work in destinations. Individuals with better access to migration-specific social capital are considerably more likely to aspire to and eventually migrate themselves. However, it is less understood why some individuals with access to migrant networks and the associated migration-specific social capital do not “make use” of this social capital and remain in their countries of origin. Among potential migrants, instances of leaving social capital dormant could manifest as behavior (i.e., no subsequent migration) or a change in aspirations (i.e., no longer seeing migration as a potential pathway). As such, they represent an interesting case for migration theory and a way to obtain some analytical leverage to better understand migration decisions. In this paper, we compare the U.S. migration intentions and behavior according to whether they have no, moderate, or larger access to migrant networks. We use two waves from the Mexican Family Life Survey (MxFLS), collected in 2002 and 2005/6, to assess the translation of migration networks and stated aspirations to migrate into subsequent migration behavior, taking into account baseline sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, migrant networks and emigration aspirations. Among those that do not migrate, we distinguish those that remain and continue to aspire to a future move from those that no longer consider migration to be an option.
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THEMIS: The role of both migrants and institutions in an enduring pattern of migration: the case of Almeria, a province of Spain which acts as a stage for undocumented migrants to pursue regularisation papers
Pauline Carnet presents her paper 'The role of both migrants and institutions in an enduring pattern of migration' in Parallel session III(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Based on my PhD, my paper will examine how an enduring pattern of migration is sustained and the role of both social actors and structural factors in the face of this process.
Nowadays, international migrants glide between constraints and strategies, regularity and irregularity. Their migration, built on several stages, constitutes a real “snakes and ladders”. In it, Almeria is a stage where it is possible to get "papers". Since the 90’s, this Spanish province specialised in agriculture has centralized the African migrants who are in a precarious situation. How is this possible?
1/ Migrants have the capacity to be mobile and develop strategies to reach Europe and to look for housing, employment and papers. 2/ Spanish governmental institutions fluctuate between control and tolerance regarding migration – fluctuation partly linked with the economic function of undocumented migrants.
I will develop theoretical constructs explaining undocumented migrants’ use and development of social networks. Their mobility will be qualified as a mastered roving, mastering that is essentially done through social relations and the constitution of social networks. I will explain why some of them are in a zero square, i.e, a special space-time, intermediate between the border crossing and the insertion in the European space and characterized by the repetition of basic survival situations.
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THEMIS: Does migration from Colombia to the United Kingdom constitute a migration system? Exploring the role of migrant agency and structural factors
Anastasia Bermudez presents her paper 'Does migration from Colombia to the UK constitute a migration system?' in Parallel session III(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 There is limited information and analysis of contemporary migration flows from Colombia to the United Kingdom, despite the fact that this migrant community has attracted increased research interest in the new ‘super-diverse’ Britain. Colombians are one of the oldest and the second-largest national group within the growing Latin American diaspora in London, and are behind many of the ethnic-based organisations and businesses created by this group. However, little is known about the origins and development of these flows. This paper has two main aims. The first is to track the emergence and development of a potential migration system linking Colombia and the United Kingdom. The second is to explore the role of both agency and structure in this context, in line with current scholarship on migration systems. This paper is based on the limited secondary data available, and the primary data accumulated during more than ten years of research with the Colombian community in London. One of the main contributions of the paper is the adoption of an intersectional approach that takes into account gender, class and type of migration when analysing the role of agency and the so-called pioneer migrants.
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THEMIS: Stuck in transit: the Dublin regulation, national discrepancies, and secondary migration of asylum seekers in Europe
Jan-Paul Brekke presents his paper 'Stuck in transit: the Dublin regulation, national discrepancies & secondary migration of asylum seekers' co-authored by Grete Brochmann in Parallel session III(D) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics Tensions related to a harmonization of EUs asylum policies are reinforced by the current economic crisis. In this paper we look at the interplay between the Dublin Regulation, national discrepancies in asylum policies and individual migrants' strategies.
We study mechanisms in the interaction between the supranational, the national and the individual level. The empirical focal point is bilateral secondary migration between Italy and Norway. Interviews with Eritrean migrants, with NGO personnel and government representatives in the two countries provide the basis for a discussion of two research questions:
- In what ways is the Dublin Regulation challenged by national differences, migrants' strategies and the current economic crisis?
- How does the Dublin Regulation influence migrants' strategies regarding secondary movements within Europe?
We argue that although this particular migration system stretches back further along the route between Eritrea and Norway, it makes sense to study the intermediary stage of the asylum journeys - the unclear transit/destination juncture of Italy and Norway.
Secondary movements within the EEA-area are indicators of regime competition and the concomitant migrant strategies. By studying secondary movements between the South and the North related to their respective regimes as to the asylum/labor market/welfare policy nexus, it is possible to analyze tensions and interconnections between the supranational and the national policy levels. In our discussions we draw upon established topics in the field of migration studies, such as destination choices, the role of information, feed-back systems, as well as the importance of experiences in transit.
We combine concepts developed by de Haas (2011) with a model of action used by Brekke and Aarset (2009), to present our data: The migrants' immediate situation, their perception of opportunities in transit/other destination countries, destination information, perceptions of hindrances, capabilities (resources, networks, abilities), and finally destination specificity (directedness towards one specific country).
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THEMIS: Migrants' expected time of residence in receiving countries: a systems approach
Jack DeWaard presents his paper 'Migrants' expected time of residence in receiving countries: a systems approach' co-authored by Guy Abel in Parallel session III(D) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond This paper bridges recent developments in migration systems theory with empirical work on international migration systems to examine the latter in a theoretically informed way. Unlike in previous research, our efforts go beyond merely examining exchanges in the form of migration flows, and further consider the dynamics which govern these exchanges. We synthesize these two components in a fairly new measure of international migration. Termed migrants' expected time of residence, we estimate this quantity each receiving country in the EU-15 every five years from 1960-1965 to 2005-2010 and disaggregate our results by sending region, subregion, and country. In the process, our work helps to clarify three persistent problems in the empirical research on international migration systems, and, more generally, provides a blueprint for moving forward in this area in a way that is consistent with recent theoretical concerns and developments.
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THEMIS: Challenging the borders of intimacy and legality: migrant agency in response to Danish restrictions on transnational marriage
Tess Hellgren presents her paper 'Challenging the borders of intimacy and legality: migrant agency in response to Danish restrictions on transnational marriage' in Parallel session IV(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond Based on my 2012 dissertation work for the Oxford MSc in Migration Studies, my presentation will explore migrants' creative agency in response to Denmark's ‘24-year rule' limiting transnational marriage migration. My paper will examine how Danish restrictions have impacted the decisions, identities, and livelihoods of Danish-migrant couples - and how these couples' agentive strategies are creating new migration flows between Denmark and southern Sweden, with implications for regional transnational belonging and on-going legal debates on the balance of national and EU authority.
Over the past ten years, immigration discourses have been increasingly politicised in Denmark, tied to the enhanced influence of the right-wing Danish People's Party over mainstream political leadership. Amidst the societal normalisation of anti-immigration sentiments, since 2002 legislation on marriage migration places strict requirements of age, income, and ‘national attachment' upon any third-country national (TCN) wishing to marry a Dane. In practice, these marriage restrictions have been a pragmatic immigration control, considerably restricting the eligibility of potential applicants for family migration.
In response to the Danish governments' legal impediments, many Danes wishing to marry TCNs - particularly Danes in the Copenhagen area - have chosen to move to southern Sweden, where their marriage is allowed under stronger rights to family life derived from their status as mobile EU citizens. By relocating across the Danish border, impacted couples are strategically navigating intersecting levels of Danish, Nordic, and EU law in their determination to form a partnership. This provocative outcome establishes new patterns of transnational living and identity, as many couples reside in Sweden but spend more time working and visiting family across the border in Denmark. It also raises important questions about present and future interactions of national and supranational legal structures in the realm of EU family migration and beyond.
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